Episode Summary: In this special solo episode of the Changemaker ED"U" Podcast, host and CEO David K. Richards reflects on the two year anniversary of launching the Changemaker pilot, and the seven year journey since the vision first took root in January 2019. Drawing on conversations with educators and families across all 50 states, David unpacks why the traditional "factory model" of schooling is leaving both students and teachers behind, and how a decentralized, grassroots "We" movement is offering a path forward. He breaks down the three foundational pillars of Changemaker Microschools, defines what "love based" education truly means in practice, and shares how launching a microschool isn't just changing outcomes for kids, it's transforming the lives of the educators brave enough to build them.
In This Episode, We Cover:
- The 2 Year Milestone: Looking back at the first LinkedIn post in October 2024 that sparked a 90 day wave of conversations with educators ready for a new paradigm.
- A Nationwide Reality Check: Why families and teachers from rural, urban, and suburban communities across all 50 states are experiencing the same systemic burnout, and why great educators are succeeding in spite of the system rather than because of it.
- The 3 Pillars of the Changemaker Vision:
- Grassroots "We" Movement: Moving from top down command and control to bottom up, community driven schools tailored to local needs.
- Decentralized & "Teal" Structure: Empowering autonomous founders united by shared principles rather than a rigid one-size-fits-all mandate.
- Micro-to-Macro Impact: How small, intimate learning communities create ripple effects that shift the broader educational landscape.
- Love as Rigorous Accountability: Why Changemaker’s Mind-Body-Soul curriculum treats love not as passive sentimentality, but as courageous accountability, radical inclusion, and dismantling systemic inequities.
- Transforming Founders' Lives: Real stories from newly opened Changemaker microschools (from St. Louis and Cincinnati to Denver and Orlando) and how stepping into entrepreneurship restores educators' autonomy and spark.
- The 10-Year Vision: Growing a global network of 1,000 heart centered microschools over the next decade, and how educators, families, funders, and researchers can cross the bridge with us.
Resources & Mentions:
- Reinventing Organizations by Frederic Laloux (Teal organizational structures)
- Changemaker Microschools Network & Mind-Body-Soul Framework
- https://www.changemakereducation.com/
What is Changemaker ED“U”?
Welcome to Changemaker ED“U”, a podcast about all things microschools. If you are a paradigm shifter who wants to create change in your community through microschooling, this is the podcast for you!
We share the nuts and bolts of launching and running a successful microschool as well as important tips and tricks about leadership, business, and entrepreneurship.
I am David K Richards, the Founder & CEO of Changemaker Education, an affiliate network of microschools. With 25+ years in education reform, leadership development, and entrepreneurship, I am excited to host this podcast!